Tearful Roses
by MillenniumKitten
Summary: Tear and Natalia have a little chat in the garden about their favorite red head. One-shot.


**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Tales of the Abyss**

**Hey, enjoy :)**

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**Tearful Roses**

"Tear was it?" Natalia stood in the garden having spotted the blond looking at the home grown flowers. Tear was currently intrigued by a certain rose, leaning over it and touching each and every petal on the lovely red rose. "It suits you…considering how you're a cold blooded killer."

The snide remark hardly fazed her. "It's because of that, that Luke is here and safe."

"It's because of you that he had to worry about such things as being safe." Natalia's hands go to her hips in a huff. She knew that her words rang true, what she didn't understand was why the blond wasn't lashing out at her. It was almost as if she held no emotions at all. _If this harpy thinks that she's not guilty then by God's name I will show her how guilty she really is._

"You aren't wrong," Tear is still feeling the velvet texture of the red rose. "But you aren't right, it's because of me that Luke learned so much and it's because of me that he's grown. For that he's thankful that this whole ordeal has happened."

"Thankful or not, it didn't have to happen. I don't like your tone, are you trying to imply that I couldn't do the same?" She wanted desperately to prove her wrong. After all Natalia was to be Luke's future wife and if a mere girl could cause Luke to change then so could she! Or at least that's what she was thinking.

"You could if you worried about such things." Tear sighs. She wished that the girl would leave her in peace; after all, she didn't have much time. All she wanted to do was enjoy the scene before her. Not play with some brat.

"And what's that supposed to mean? I love Luke!"

"Exactly, and it's because you love him that you want him to remember his promise. What if he never does? That's what you're constantly worried about. That and the fact that he might not love you anymore." Like usual, Tear is blunt and rather cold-hearted. She had no patience for the huffing and snotty royal brat. "Although it must be nice, to have someone to love…it is also your greatest weakness. It will make you do stupid things that could get you killed and yet you'll still do them in a heartbeat."

"You do not have someone you fancy?" Natalia asks. She's rather confused about why she isn't infuriated with the beautiful blond.

"I do, but no matter what I do…I can't bring myself to reach for him."

_She sounds so sad…_ "Tell me about him." Never having a real friend to talk to might have been the reason why Natalia prompted Tear. She was curious about the man the cold blond could proclaim to love.

"He's…" Tear had to stop herself for she didn't know what to say. She had never really thought about such things…never had a real reason to. "One of a kind or at least that's what I hope I can't trust him to have my back, but someday I hope that I can. It's never the same thing with him…but that's the joy of being around him, I'm never bored.

"I'm awed by how arrogant he can be. Despite this…he's perceptive with these eyes that can see anything. He's…" Finally Tear looks up at Natalia who is so intrigued that she's leaning slightly forward. "The one who will not only change me…but the world."

"Well? Don't keep me waiting," Natalia urges. She's frowning and yet squirming with slightly excitement. "I want his name."

"It's-"

"Tear. I thought you had flown off already on your bat wings." Luke enters the garden, no doubt coming from his room. "Roses? Didn't expect you of all people to like something so girly."

"You'll have to excuse me for being a girl." Tear frowns. She knew what was coming, if he enters with a child-ish remark then he's likely to continue on with this banter.

"No excuse for you."

"You're such a child."

"Oh shut up! All you do is nag."

"All you do is complain and whine." Tear stands up to brush herself off. "It's hard to believe that your royalty."

"Well I am thank you very much," Luke challenges with arms crossed. He looks off to the side. "Apparently your eyes were glazed over when I talked to my Uncle and all those snobbish people."

"They were fully open I swear and I was surprised…you really impressed me. I'm proud of you." Tear offers up a real smile, her eyes closed so she didn't witness the light blush on his cheeks. Like the pink roses that wove in between the red. "Now if only you could act mature like that all the time."

_And of course._ "S-Shut up! You know, you were cute for about three seconds there so don't you dare lecture me!"

Her smile only grew wider as she listens to him rant. A full minute went by before the scent of roses hit her nose. That fresh scent so close mixed with the velvet feeling that tickled her nose so much so that she nearly sneezed. When her eyes open she finds herself face to face with the red rose that she had been eying earlier. Confused, her smile disappears.

"You were looking at this like you wanted it. So here…as a farewell gift," Luke smiles kindly himself. She reaches for it, he pulls it back abruptly making her frown for she wasn't amused. "H-Hold on…I almost forgot about the thorns. Give me a minute." From his pocket he produces a small knife that he must have used to pick the rose.

One by one the thorn falls to the ground. Only once did he slip and slice his finger a bit. "Dammit!" He sticks his thumb in his mouth.

"It's only a small cut." Tear chuckles a bit. Without warning she takes his hand and pulls it to her. Leaning down like she's going to kiss it, she whispers softly the songs of healing. His cut glows a sky blue before closing up as if it had never happened. "There."

"You're not completely useless…" Luke sighs. He never knows what to say to Tear. "T-Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Tear shrugs. When she lets go of his hand it instantly begins to get cold. "We'll meet again soon…I just know it. Until then, be strong Luke." With those few words, she takes her rose, the one so red that it had reminded her of his hair. She wondered if his hair felt like the petals. As she walks away she finds herself smiling, knowing that he's watching her go.

"Tear…" He whispers to himself. At that moment, arms go around his waist, a face burying into his back inhaling his scent.

"Luke…" Natalia mumbles softly. She loves his smell…it comforts her.

Luke frowns. He had nearly jumped out of his skin from that, thinking that maybe Anise had snuck in. "When did you get here?"

"I-I've…oh you know…I saw you so I thought that I'd say hello to my future husband," Natalia lies. She's ready to cry, but her voice doesn't waver. It was hard for her to believe that he hadn't noticed her at all. "Don't you remember me?"

"I'm sorry…but I haven't. I'm not sure if I ever will…" Even if he did he wasn't sure what he wanted to do with himself.

"Will you try?" Natalia whimpers knowing now how right Tear was.

"I'm always trying." Was his immediate lie. He hardly cared about his past, not when he's too busy living in the now.

"What are you thinking about?" It was a question of what, more like of whom.

"Roses. Hey…listen I'm tired so we'll have to talk later alright?" Luke untangles her arms from his waist with his hands and leaves without so much of a good bye. On his way out, he cuts himself a yellow rose that he would later stick in a crystal bowl by his bedside.

"I think I understand now," Natalia is looking over the red roses. "But he's also stubborn and honest. Luke _will_ honor his promise to me. Tear, whether you like it or not he's spoken for. I won't hand him over, I refuse."

She didn't know if she would be able to uphold her words. After all, who really knows about to handle matters of the heart?

Luke is stubborn; he hates being forced into doing things. Would he consider marrying her as forced? Or would his honor bind him to her in the end?

She could only hope for the best as she takes a red rose for her own. Instantly a zing of pain shoots through her palms. Blood wells up where a thorn has struck her.

"Luke…" At the same time as a drop of blood drips to the ground, a tear does as well.

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**I hope you enjoyed ^^ it was a lot of fun to write. Read and review 3**


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